Dribbles and Drabbles
by Lindenharp
Summary: This is a collection of 100-word drabbles about the Ninth and Tenth Doctors. SPOILERS for all 4 seasons of New WHO.
1. At the Aquarium

Thousands of species here. Rose likes the colourful Parrotfish. The Stonefish are so ugly they make her laugh. Ought to show her the Prahav Zoo, where the water-breathers gawked at humans and other land creatures – until the specimens escaped, and the building was flooded. Nah. Too much danger of crossing the timelines.

Big crowd at the shark tank. Humans love dangerous creatures, s'long as they're labeled and behind a barrier. Rose reads the sign. "Some sharks can only breathe while in motion. They must swim or die."

The ocean is a lot like the Vortex, y'know?


	2. If Only

The ancient being called _The Oncoming Storm_ and _The Champion of Earth_ sits in the shadowed Cloister Room of the TARDIS. It suits his mood. He knows he made the right decision, but he envisions what might have been: the glittering Citadel, rising again to touch the orange sky. _So much, lost forever._

A young woman peers around an archway. "Oi, you!" she says in friendly exasperation, "Mickey's got the DVD player working, an' the popcorn's ready."

The ancient being called _The Oncoming Storm_, _The Champion of Earth_, and sometimes _Oi, you!_ rises from the stone bench, smiling.


	3. Monsters

Donna visits the spa's little shop for last minute purchases. She sees the surviving passengers clustered together in the shuttle departure lounge. Most avoid her gaze, but one petite woman hurries over.

"You're his friend? The Doctor?"

She nods.

"How… is he?"

Donna glares, as fierce as the Xtonic sun. "Why do you care? Why ask _now_?" She raises her voice. "You're all so relieved because the monster is gone. The truth is, there were a lot of monsters on that transport — and only one is gone."

They cannot speak. That other monster, guilt, has stolen their words.


	4. Making a Difference

"The thing is, the old geezer was one of us

"The thing is, the old geezer was one of us. Good English blood. Loyal. Served in the Parachute Regiment in the War."

"So?"

"So why did he get himself shot on account of a bunch of foreigners?"

"He was a nutter, looking for UFOs with his telescope. Went the rest of the way 'round the bend when his granddaughter went missing."

"And what's that foreign stuff he wrote?"

"Dunno."

The freezing rain is washing the blood from the old man's body. It is also washing away the foot-high chalked words from the wooden stockade topped with barbed-wire.

I./Arbeit macht frei./I


	5. Case Closed

As he stepped out of the TARDIS, blasters and accusing eyes were fixed on him.

"We have unfinished business, Doctor." The Shadow Architect frowned. "You ran away. As I was not present for the resolution of these cases, I must deputize you to complete the reports."

It took hours to finish the paperwork, not counting the debate about his identity. (He finally said that "The Doctor" _was_ his legal name; if she didn't believe him, she could go consult the Archives on Gallifrey.)

She patted the mountain of papers before her. "Thats Clom accounted for. Just twenty-six more…"


	6. Words

I once told the Dalek Emperor I speak five million languages. That might be stretching it just a wee, tiny bit. Without the TARDIS to help, I can only manage two or three thousand languages. The thing is, I love words. Love them. They have enormous power. They can inspire or discourage, hurt or comfort, explain or obfuscate. They are my first choice for settling conflict. I have always thought of words as the perfect weapons, because they could wound but not kill, and because they could never be stolen and used against me.

Now I know I was wrong.


	7. Nobody Special

Within minutes, the shower in the TARDIS rinsed away the ashes of Pompeii. Donna wished she could get rid of the memories as easily.

"_Man from Gallifrey... your home is lost in fire…"_

Lucius the Augur had seen the biggest event of the Doctor's long life. The loss of his world had changed him – changed the Universe. That was how soothsaying worked. It saw important things in the lives of important people.

Maybe that was why his words to her made no sense. She was nobody special. Just a temp.

"_Daughter of London... there is something on your back."_


	8. Finally Free

He ran because he wanted freedom. Snatched Susan and stole the TARDIS, setting course for adventure. Gallifrey didn't catch up to him until his second life. They tossed him in a cage: one planet, one time.

They relented, but kept their hook in him. Do this task. Fix this problem. Come home and fix another. Come home and be President. (A gilded cage is still a prison.) Come home and be condemned. Come home and fight for us. Die with us.

Now he is completely free. Their summons will never snare him again. Freedom tastes like ashes in his mouth.


	9. Regeneration

The Doctor looks up as Rose enters the control room, plastic bag in one hand, tea in the other. "Mornin', sleepyhead. What's that?"

"Ummm... don't you get tired of wearing the same thing every day?"

"Not a fashion model, me. Change my jumper, don't I?"

"All those dark colours -- might as well be the same one. So... I knit you a new one. Something brighter."

"You knit?"

"Yeah. Mickey's gran taught me."

"You knit me a jumper. Huh. Where'd you get the wool?"

"In the Wardrobe, sorta. There was this really long scarf, too long for anyone to wear--"


	10. No Higher Authority

_"If you want to take it to a higher authority, then there isn't one. It stops with me."_

Did Rose hear him? He doesn't dare ask. Even for him, this is beyond hubris. And yet… it's true. Who else can fight the battles to come? Gallifrey is gone, the Guardians will not interfere, and Deity — if Deity exists — remains silent. Only he remains, Lord of Time and Pawn of Fate. He dares not think too much about his own fallibility, lest he falter in his task.

There is no higher authority. He wishes there were a better one.


	11. The Flavour of Hope

It was a bad day. Jack had died three times. _Getting harder to keep hoping._ Martha was gone, on a quest that surely didn't involve lethal weapons. He trusted the Doctor, yet it seemed that only violence could defeat the Master.

Smiling, Tish brought his dinner. "Took this from Lucy's breakfast tray–"

"Told you not to take chances for me. Not worth it."

"Anything I can do to spit in his eye is worth it." She displayed her prize. "You like?"

Jack's grin was genuine. "Yeah. Bananas are good." There were many kinds of weapons, he mused…


End file.
